ADTechnology (ADT) said on the 23rd that it will pursue a strategic technology partnership with Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits to jointly develop system-on-chip (SoC) and chiplet solutions based on a 4-nanometer (nm; one hundred millionth of a meter) process, in response to growing demand for custom semiconductors in the European market.
The two sides aim to develop custom semiconductor solutions that achieve both high performance and low power through design collaboration on an advanced 4 nm process. By combining Fraunhofer IIS's expertise in system and algorithm design with ADT's ASIC design and process optimization capabilities, they plan to apply research outcomes to industry and further advance high-performance semiconductor design capabilities.
ADTechnology is providing customer-specific libraries optimized for process characteristics by leveraging its application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design service capabilities based on the Samsung Electronics foundry (contract chip manufacturing) process and its in-house design optimization platform "Capella." This maximizes design efficiency in terms of power, performance, and area (PPA) and addresses increasingly complex AI and high-performance semiconductor design environments.
The partnership is seen as a strategic foothold to strengthen custom chip design capabilities in Europe's AI infrastructure and high-performance semiconductor markets. In particular, it is expected to bolster competitiveness in product differentiation, power optimization, and shorter development timelines in high-value sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and automotive.
Park Jun-gyu, CEO of ADTechnology, said, "The research capabilities of Fraunhofer IIS combined with our ASIC and Chiplet Design expertise will deliver more advanced semiconductor solutions to European customers," adding, "We will continue to expand strategic partnerships within the global semiconductor ecosystem and strengthen our technological competitiveness."
Albert Heuberger, executive director of Fraunhofer IIS, said, "This is a meaningful example of accelerating innovation through international cooperation," noting, "By combining the expertise of both sides, we can extend research outcomes into industrial value."